MarketingRx roundup: Bristol Myers taps young NBA player to raise heart condition awareness; Pfizer, J&J top innovation list

November 16, 2021 01:45 PM EST

MarketingRx roundup: Bristol Myers taps young NBA player to raise heart condition awareness; Pfizer, J&J top innovation list

Beth Snyder Bulik

Senior Editor

Bristol Myers Squibb is looking to shine a light on the rarely diagnosed heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) as it awaits an FDA decision on a proposed drug to treat it.

The unbranded “Could It Be HCM?” campaign that launched Monday doesn’t mention mavacamten, which has an FDA decision deadline in January, but instead focuses on awareness of the condition with Utah Jazz National Basketball Association player Jared Butler who has HCM. Butler found out he had the heart condition while at Baylor University, where he helped lead the team to an NCAA national championship last season, and is now under a doctor’s care.

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At the Inflection Point for the Next Generation of Cancer Immunotherapy

Willem Overwijk, Ph.D.

Vice President, Oncology Research, Nektar Therapeutics

While oncology researchers have long pursued the potential of cellular immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, it was unclear whether these therapies would ever reach patients due to the complexity of manufacturing and costs of development. Fortunately, the recent successful development and regulatory approval of chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T (CAR-T) cells have demonstrated the significant benefit of these therapies to patients.

Stéphane Bancel, Moderna CEO

November 30, 2021 07:15 AM EST

R&D

'This is not going to be good': Moderna CEO Bancel warns of a 'material drop' in vaccine efficacy as Omicron spreads

John Carroll

Editor & Founder

Even as public health officials remain guarded about their comments on the likelihood Omicron will escape the reach of the currently approved Covid-19 vaccines, there’s growing scientific consensus that we’re facing a variant that threatens to overwhelm the vaccine barricades that have been erected.

Stéphane Bancel, the CEO of Moderna, one of the leading mRNA players whose quick vault into the markets with a highly effective vaccine created an instant multibillion-dollar market, added his voice to the rising chorus early Tuesday. According to Bancel, there will be a significant drop in efficacy when the average immune system is confronted by Omicron. The only question now is: How much?

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Philip Dormitzer, new GSK global head of vaccines R&D

November 30, 2021 08:30 AM ESTUpdated 03:30 PM

People

GlaxoSmithKline poaches Pfizer's viral vaccines lead in rush to capitalize on future of mRNA

Kyle Blankenship

Managing Editor

GlaxoSmithKline has appointed Philip Dormitzer, formerly chief scientific officer of Pfizer’s viral vaccines unit, as its newest global head of vaccines R&D, looking to leverage one of the leading minds behind Pfizer and BioNTech’s RNA collaboration that led to Covid-19 jab Comirnaty, the British drug giant said Tuesday.

Dormitzer had been with Pfizer for a little more than six years, joining up after a seven-year stint with Novartis, where he reached the role of US head of research and head of global virology for the company’s vaccines and diagnostics unit.

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ENDPOINTS CAREERS

Lead Manager / Associate Director of Statistical Genetics

Deep Genomics

Boston, MA, USA

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November 30, 2021 07:25 AM EST

Publisher's note

Introducing Endpoints Studio, a new way to advertise with Endpoints-crafted branding campaigns

Arsalan Arif

Publisher & Founder

Since our start in 2016, Endpoints has grown fast while executing our mission to cover biopharma’s most critical developments for industry pros worldwide. As readership has grown, our advertising business has too. Endpoints advertising partners support the mission and engage their desired audiences through announcements on our email and web platforms, brand recognition in our event coverage and sponsorships of Endpoints daily and weekly reports.

December 1, 2021 08:00 AM ESTUpdated 08:23 AM

Pharma

What's fair? New ICER report shows payers generally ensuring fair access to drugs

Zachary Brennan

Senior Editor

The nonprofit Institute for Clinical and Economic Review on Wednesday released a new report highlighting the ways in which payers are generally ensuring fair access to prescription drugs, even when based on a set of criteria set by the nonprofit.

While noting the lack of transparency hindered the report’s results, ICER said that the “great majority” of payer policies in the formularies evaluated are structured in a way to support many key elements of how ICER defines “fair access.”

December 1, 2021 07:00 PM EST

Deals

Cell/Gene Tx

With only burns to show in gene therapy, Astellas inks deal with AAV specialist Dyno in push for a better capsid

Josh Sullivan

Associate Editor

On the hunt for a better AAV capsid for gene therapy, Eric Kelsic’s Dyno Therapeutics has set itself apart with its focus on machine learning to help speed discovery. Now, Japanese drugmaker Astellas — fresh off a slate of gene therapy burns — is taking a bet on Dyno as it looks to the future.

Astellas and Dyno will work together as part of an R&D pact to develop next-gen AAV vectors for gene therapy using Dyno’s CapsidMap platform directed at skeletal and cardiac muscle, the companies said Wednesday. Under the terms of the deal, Dyno will design AAV capsids for gene therapy, while Astellas will be responsible for conducting preclinical, clinical and commercialization activities for gene therapy product candidates using the capsids.

GSK 'Target the Future' Ad Campaign

December 1, 2021 03:15 PM EST

Pharma

Marketing

GlaxoSmithKline's friendly ‘shark tank’ crowdsources ideas for multiple myeloma, kicks off bigger push

Beth Snyder Bulik

Senior Editor

GlaxoSmithKline is inviting everyone to its friendly shark tank. Its “Think Tank” challenge launching today aims to gather the best pitches for ideas in multiple myeloma with a final pitch-off “Shark Tank” TV show-style finish next year.

The innovation contest kicks off GSK’s bigger “Target the Future” unbranded campaign to advance innovation and awareness in multiple myeloma.

“We have a good sense of where the unmet need lies and what tools may be welcomed by this community, and we’ll continue to do that as part of this program, but the ‘Think Tank’ kickoff is to bring new ideas to the table — things that come from a more grassroots perspective than a large pharma perspective,” Christine Roth, senior VP and global head of oncology at GSK, said.

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ENDPOINTS CAREERS

Executive Director - Data Analysis - Science & Technology

Alexandria Real Estate Equities

Pasadena, CA

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November 30, 2021 11:53 AM EST

Pharma

Marketing

MarketingRx roundup: AbbVie’s Humira TV turns focus to HS skin condition; Sanofi amps parenting policy

Beth Snyder Bulik

Senior Editor

After years as the top spending pharma TV advertiser, AbbVie’s Humira brand finally downshifted earlier this year, ceding much of its marketing budget to up-and-coming sibling meds Skyrizi and Rinvoq. However, now Humira is back on TV with ads for another condition — Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).

The chronic and painful skin condition results in lumps and abscesses caused by inflammation or infection of sweat glands, most often in the armpits or groin. Humira was first approved to treat HS in 2015 and remains the only FDA-approved drug for the condition. Two TV ads both note more than 30,000 people with HS have been prescribed Humira.

Viatris employees rang the Nasdaq bell on Nov. 16, marking the one-year anniversary of the merged Mylan and Pfizer Upjohn company

November 30, 2021 09:19 AM EST

Pharma

Marketing

Starting from scratch: Viatris’ new brand, culture settle in 1 year after Mylan, Upjohn merger

Beth Snyder Bulik

Senior Editor

When Mylan and Pfizer’s Upjohn unit merged last year, headlines touted the $12 billion deal and newly named Viatris as the largest generic drugmaker in the world. But that’s not exactly how the company wanted to be known.

So Viatris — which rhymes with Beatrice — began working to create a new brand and culture from scratch around its distinct mix of old pharma blockbusters while layering in a massive portfolio of generic and OTC meds and building up a fresh pipeline of biosimilars.

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